Harbour View
We didn't have much time to be relaxing ourselves in the wonderful conservatory in The Harbour View.
Our trip is always too ambitious, so we seldom use some facilities in the accommodation. We will enjoy easygoing trip someday.
We chose a smoked salmon and a kipper for breakfast, and we shared them. The salt of the salmon went well with scrambled egg.
The pretty girl who served breakfast for us said that she worked part time. Our laundry seemed to be washed by her. We gave her
I handed a strap that we took for souvenir from Japan to her saying "thank you".
The distance of that day would be longest in our trip. We would be in Kylemore in the evening.

Ladies View
We went for Killarney under the cloudy sky. A heavy fog lay all around Moll's Gap. My husband said that the downward slope
from there was black spot, so he concentrated driving.
He kept careful driving for a while, but soon he sifted to high speed to enjoy hairpin curves and up and down. It was not long before Arrival at Ladies View.
When The Queen Victoria visited Muckross House in 1861, lady's maid admired the beautiful view from that point. Afterward people call that place as Ladies View.
There was no car in the small parking space. When we get off the car something suddenly moved into the bush.
That seemed to have been two couple of red deer. They ran away toward different directions. I watched clearly their white buttock.
My husband regretted that he didn't have any preparation to take a picture.
The view was wonderful as the lady's maid had been impressed many years ago. We could see Lower Lake and Gap of Dunloe.
While I enjoyed the view, my husband crept toward the bush that the red deer had disappeared.
He whispered to me "Look! Look! There were red deer. They might be a mother and her young deer". At last he got a chance to take a picture.
The mother stared us through the woods and the young deer hid the trees beside his mother.
After a while the couple walked silently into the bush. We couldn't watch the hind everywhere.

Adare)
We enjoyed the driving in The Killarney National Park and went through the town center of Killarney. The most outstanding building in the big town was St. Mary’s Cathedral.
We only took a picture because we didn't have much time.
We drove to the north continuously. We saw a beautiful wide view of the gentle slope covered with emerald green.
I wanted to show my excitement to my grandson in Japan, so I made a call by cellular phone. "Boy! A lot of sheep and cows are eating grass on the wide field near the lane."
"All of them look happy, and I'm happy too."
I wondered if my excitement was communicated to him directly, because he was only three years old. Adare got the prize of the prettiest and
most picturesque village thirty years ago. We had information that the village has been too famous to enjoy short walk in the peaceful quiet atmosphere after then.
On the way N21 we suddenly found the crowd and some thatched roof houses in front of them, and my husband made a U-turn and parked in the small space beside it.
The house were built in 19th century for the residence, but now they were teashop and souvenir shop.
I was just one of the tourist then, but I was regret that the calm and peaceful atmosphere was already broken by the news of getting the prize.

Adare Manor Hotel
We only took a picture of the thatched house and soon we started for Adare Manor Hotel.
Only few minutes later we found the magnificent gate on the right hand. We were interested in that Manor Hotel because of its beautiful garden.
The gate was closed, but the doorman who was wearing the uniform came toward us. "Can I help you?" "Could I drive into the estate to see the beautiful garden?"
"I'm sorry you can't admit to see only the garden, but you will watch around the house if you have a cup of coffee in that house."
"Thank you, we will have." We drove through the gate and went straight to the house that the doorman indicated us. The estate looked so broad that we couldn't find the house soon.
We crossed the bridge over the stream, went along the golf course and at last we arrived the house.
My husband was puzzled where to take a picture of the whole house. That was enormous large.
An American lady who was carrying a single-lens reflex talked to him "Best point is under the tree over there." He took her advice. That was fine!
As he was satisfied with a wonderful picture, we decided to have tea break leisurely in the house.
The tearoom and all furniture in that room were luxurious, and we could see the sunken garden through the windows.
We enjoyed rich time to have coffee in an atmosphere of peace of high living.

After teatime we had a walk around the house. There seemed to be a wonderful golf course over the house.
He gave a sigh to see the beautiful course.
There were a sunken garden, a hedged formal garden with boxes and a rose garden down stairs.
All of them were kept in good conditions and a lot of scarlet begonias were in full bloom at that time.

Cliffs of Moher
Our next destination was Cliffs of Moher.
On the way to the cliffs we drove the outer circular road of Limerick to avoid the traffic jam.
But the road construction work tied up traffic unluckily.
From the road N18, we could see a dignified stone castle on unlimited beautiful green ground. That might be Bunratty Castle.
We saw a magnificent Cathedral in Ennis. All cathedrals and churches that we have seen in Ireland were glorious and solemn.
After two hours nonstop drive, we arrived at Cliffs of Moher.
A vast extend of parking area suddenly appeared in the desolate rocky field. The car park was filled with an awful lot of cars.
I wondered where the great number of the car has come from. It was clogged with not only many cars but also a lot of coaches.
I found a traffic signal at the zebra crossing from the parking to the cliff. There seemed to be a large-scale construction there.
Though I had imagined that the natural environment of the cliffs were left untouched as those were, but I was disappointed at finding the development for the tourist.
There were many souvenir stalls, coffee stand and kiosk in the portable big house.
I wanted to pass through the house with closing my eyes.
After 5 minutes walk we stood at near the cliffs that were large-scale, extending to eight kilometers.
It was said that the highest cliff was 230 meters high from the sea level of The Atlantic Ocean.
When I inclined over the fence to see the bottom of the cliff, I felt horrible as if I were pulled into the deep sea by a sea pixie and a goblin.
The weather was fine rather hot, so we enjoyed the wide view of wonders of nature.
I understood about the large-scale construction to see the signboard. New Visitor Centre would be built for corresponding to the tourist over seven hundred thousand in a year.
According to the plan new visitor center will be in the underground with Ledge Experience, Cycloama, Restaurant and Cliff Walk.
I think it's very difficult to keep balance between development and conservation of nature.

The BurrenThe Burren is that the Limestone rises by crustal movement
before hundreds of millions of years, and it is the desolate hill which limestone showed by erosion of a glacier.
The name of the Burren comes from an Irish word, Boireann, meaning "a rocky place", an appropriate name
for this landscape of bare hills and lowlands situated in north Co. Clare and the south-western tip of Co. Galway.
Historically, the "Burren" comprised merely the barony of that name, but in recent times has come to be applied to a much wider area
totaling some 750 square kilometers of similar landform.
We were interested in the Poulnabrone Portal Dolmen in The Burren most of all. When we had examined about The Burren before the trip,
I thought that it took after Lanyon Quoit in Cornwall where we have been in 2004.
Our compact car went on the hilly terrain smoothly. On the way my husband tried to take a shortcut and then we lost our way.
At the point from R476 to R480 we suddenly met with Leamaneh Castle.
Why was there a castle here? After few minutes drive we found a ruin of carran church. Why was there a church here?
There might be some mysteries in The Burren.
We continued our driving on the wild moorland, then we found the signboard for Poulnabrone Portal Tomb.

There was a large stone table as we have seen the photo several times before this trip.
It was much smaller than I have imagined, but it had solemn presence.
I felt that the shape was suitable for the Burren for one reason or another.
Though it was called "the table of giant", but it was really a grave made six thousands years ago.
One turning to the north seems to be almost the front. It is said that it is the direction that calculated the sun of the summer solstice in the
same way as British Stonehenge. It is said the sterile ground now, but the people who had high civilization would live in those days.
It began to shine on that day, and by that calm early afternoon, it was not felt with a mystery and weirdness.
Unfortunately it was surrounded with a rope and couldn't be involved with a stone directly.

Surroundings were covered in limestone. However, soil collected between the crazing that it was possible for by weathering if I took it good,
and unexpectedly many plants grew.
It does not prove right to say the sterile ground. I could see a lot of pretty colorful flowers.
When I compared with Burren Perfumery,
I confirmed Herb Robert, Bird's Foot Trefoil and Heath Spotted Orchid.
I felt that a soul of ancient people have changed a figure into dear those flowers and seemed to live in the present age.

We continued our driving in The Burren.
There were the people who had stopped the car aside here and there, and enter in the limestone.
There seemed to be many forts and remains many years ago. After all high civilization was there certainly.
The Burren was rocky and covered with stone as far as we could see, but there were few grazing land.
We drove across a river full of the water which bluish black occasionally glitters. It might be a peat bog.
I like the riverside where shore protection works are not considered to be it.

Galway Crystal
We were already near Galway. Though we lost our way because of the opening of new road, at last we arrived at Heritage Centre of
Galway Crystal.
In the large showroom, a carpet was pulled, and crystal glass shone in a showcase lighted up beautifully.
After a long examination we bought a ball with a Celtic pattern.

Galway
It was already past 17:00. The U.K. is the time when a shop closes, but Ireland is different.
I could buy anywhere in Ireland, but there was the thing which I wanted to demand it in Galway if I could do it.
That was Claddagh Ring.
The shopping street(William St.) that we were informed was over there across the Kennedy park.
It was the place where John F Kennedy of the American President has made a speech.
We came into a jewelry shop on the William Street. My husband chose one with wonderful design, which he tested it, and size fit .
I selected a ring similar to him. I said "We want to put them on now, so packing is not necessary".
The salesclerk said "Wear a ring at this place, and change appearing". Other clerks gathered, jeered and gave a cheer to us.
It was the first exchange of the ring in our thirty-seven married life. I felt my ring finger suddenly became heavier.
Though it was almost 18:00, William St. was full of tourist.
All flowers of hanging baskets and window boxes were very beautiful. We enjoyed the shopping.

The design of Claddagh Ring is the hands holding a heart and it gives the crown to me from both sides.
Heart means love. Crown means loyalty. Holding hands mean friendship.
In Ireland many people seemed to put the ring on as a proof of love, as a mark of friendship and sometimes
it was handed down from the parent to their child.

Kylemore
We arrived at the bed & breakfast (Kylemore House) at over 20:00. Our room was a large room having a large bed. We headed for Kylemore Abbey without unpacking.
I knew the closing time of Kylemore Abbey, but we wanted to watch the figure as soon as possible. The Abbey was quite dark at the foot of the hill across the
lake, which was shining by the afternoon sun.
We expected to watch the beautiful abbey next morning. Then we returned to have dinner at
Kylemore Pass Hotel that our landlady recommended us near our bed & breakfast.
The hotel was very quiet. It was only one set of us from beginning to end, but to our surprise, all dishes were very delicious.
We occupied the box, which we saw of a lake and a mountain in the sunset and enjoyed it slowly.
After the dinner we headed for the abbey again in the twilight passed by our B&B. I could see only the black shape.
It was the longest distance in a day of our driving trip for six years. We had a good sleep, of course.